Constitution

What constitution means

Put simply, constitution is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where constitution comes up

The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.

How to research the term

First, read the term where it actually appears. A rule, statute or court decision may define it for its own purposes. Next, check whether your court has a local rule that uses constitution in a special way. Then look at recent decisions from courts in your jurisdiction. They show how judges apply the term today. Also, remember that state law can differ from federal law. For that reason, use our state procedures guide to find your state’s rules. Finally, confirm every source is current before you rely on it.

You can read the current federal court rules online for free.

Related legal terms

• Conclusions of law: the court's rulings on how the law applies to the facts it has found. In a federal bench trial, they are stated separately from the findings of fact under Rule 52(a).
• Conditional acceptance: in contract law, a response to an offer that agrees only on condition of new or different terms.
• Conduct: a person's actions or failures to act.
• Consolidation: joining two or more separate cases that involve a common question of law or fact, so they are heard or tried together. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42(a) allows it.

Why precise terms matter

Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.